AyeDubbleYoo

Surely every club has a huge list of players they've rejected that turned out to be brilliant... it's inevitable unless you sign everyone offered to you.

I don't know, are you? He would have been in the squad, now he won't be.

Do you prefer our defenders to be crap? Personally I find it really refreshing not to be terrified every time the ball goes near one of our defenders.

I don't see any reason to think Beckham is a bad influence on the squad, in fact he's probably the most respectable and stable guy in the dressing room. Capello would have ditched him if he thought it was the right thing to do, he knows him very well.

Put it this way, I'd be sickened if Phil Brown was Newcastle manager.

That's incredible, being able to watch football like that is the stuff of dreams.

Still think we've done more harm than good signing him, would've been better just to develop wor Nile.

But I want home matches Think of me goddammit!

Aye, fair points, in fact allowing more people to access decent quality football might actually promote the game and help live attendences. I'd definitely pay for something, the NUFC radio commentary just doesn't cut it when there are certain alternative video streaming options for most games anyway. I would want it to show every game though, not just the ones that aren't on Sky/BBC.

I'd kill for a reliable legal streaming service. Living away from toon I get to as many games as I can, but being able to watch the rest properly would be amazing. I share the concerns about affecting crowds, but not sure how real that danger is.

If we only sign backup players, we'll be up shit creek. Some players might have improved (Colo etc) but the rest are 'unproven' in the Prem, to say the least. I'm optomistic by nature but there's only so many players who can play out of their skins at once.

The plainer the better IMO, and without the Pumas on the shoulders.

I don't know whether this thread is reassuring or terrifying. It's a bit scary to think we could still finish 16th!

Ah, well fair enough, I didn't know that. Still think it's too early to say he's a flop, he's not even had a season here.

I like Desailly, his English is funny.

Only a very slight nod to a central role in those quotes from Hughton. Hope the opening line is accurate though.

Bit early to say that, surely.

You're right there, he just says things in an inoffensive way... which is better than 90% of pundits.

He does the Times 'The Game' podcast as well, that's worth a listen.

I quite like Southgate, I fucking hate Mark Bright. Distinctly average footballer on TV telling Kaka he "should definitely have hit the target there"... it's insane.

Ranger only looks good bringing people into the game because he plays the easiest ball every single time. He's fairly decent at it, no better. Even so, that's what you should do if you give the ball away otherwise.

Definitely looks a good player. Bertrand from Chelsea would be class, I was watching him the other day and thinking we'd have no chance. Maybe if he's out of contract they've decided he's surplus to requirements though. We should've signed Muamba when he went to Bolton, said that at the time.

You think he should've made the starting XI? I mean what has he done wrong?

Why is Harper on the bench?

Totally agree, it's pointless criticising him for things that aren't part of his game. Obviously you could argue that he isn't the 'complete player', but I can't think of many of those anyway.